There are many different networking devices, applications, services, servers, etc. (collectively referred to herein as network components) available from different vendors that perform various operations within a computing network. In order for these various network components to perform their operations, the components often obtain information/data from one or more other sources (e.g., other networking devices, applications, services, servers, mobile devices, etc.).
Different types of information may be produced or used by different network components. In one example, this information includes security information. Security information may include, but is not limited to: raw security events, network flow information, identity information, security configuration information, security intelligence information, reputation information, correlated security analysis, and security reports. Security information may also include: indexes of information, policy, configuration settings, topology (physical, layer 2, and/or layer 3), network flow information, deep packet inspection of data and control plane traffic, control plane events, content security events, policy (e.g., network, control, endpoint), posture assessment information, compliance rules and assessment, profiling assessment information, statistical counts and analysis of the statistics on traffic patterns, etc.